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A Battle with Darkness
PROLOGUE A friend of mine from long ago had told me something that didn't make much sense. However, I now understand. She had told me that a balance must be kept. A balance between good and evil, light and darkness. The reason is that if one is stronger than the other, chaos would ensue and engulf the world. Everyone plays an important role in this balance. I, Vampire Sorceress, am in the middle. Good and evil battle for my heart and soul, and so far I have kept a balance in myself. There are times when it becomes to much, and the darkness swallows me whole. It's a strange feeling. It feels as if I'm drowning in a pool of black tar, but I do not die or weaken. Instead, I get stronger. Twenty years ago is a good example... Or even now... And it will only get worse... A Turn of Events The silver moon gleamed and reached down with its light to caress the Earth's rugged terrain and swaying oceans. The stars flickered like fireflies that were cursed to stay in the night sky forever. I stood on top of a watchtower in Fort Charles, overlooking the sea. It was a majestic view, practically fit for a king since the sea sparkled like diamonds under the silver moon. However, I was not here to enjoy the scenery. I was on a mission to save a friend from hanging. It was to happen the moment before dawn came. Should be happening right about now, I thought. Just as I expected, Navy guards were escorting a man with short black hair and ragged clothing to the hangman's noose. I launched myself into the air and landed in the shadows quietly. One man was reading the charges as another was placing the rope around my friend's neck. I sensed his fear, and saw it in his eyes as well. His breathing was rapid like a person who had trained for hours without a break. All they needed to do now, was pull the lever and watch my friend die. I took out my dagger, which glinted in the moonlight, at the moment the lever was pulled. Then, I threw the dagger at the rope, cutting it, and making him fall on the ground with a thud. The group guards yelled out. "Intruder! There is an intruder!" A bell screamed throughout the fort, waking any slumbering man in their barracks. Soon, a thousand soldiers crowded the area. I never expected there to be this many men here. Crack! Crack! Pow! Boom! Bayonets were fired at me from every direction. Searing pain shot up and down my entire body, and my clothes soon turned crimson red with my blood. Anger boiled and steamed inside me. My vision went fuzzy, then cleared in a matter of seconds. The mark of Roger had appeared on my right hand, and an eerie green fog engulfed everything around me. The wound from the bullet was gone. All I felt was pure hatred, a feeling that I felt the need to kill. I didn't care who had to pay their lives, I just wanted the see their fear and suffering. Green lightning came out of the sky, barbecuing half of the Navy guards in an instant. Their bodies smoked and charred, making the air smell of death. Others combusted in black flames or turned to ash and were blown away by the wind to different parts of the world. I wasn't even using my full powers. I could end them all, make them suffer more... It felt so tempting, and I was going to, until a hand gripped my shoulder. The touch felt alien, however it was familiar. Turning, I stood face to face with my friend. "Stop!" he pleaded. I threw him off, through a five foot thick stone wall. He came out of the wall unharmed and holding a sword. I drew my own blade. With steady steps, we charged at each other. Ready to kill. Dark, brooding clouds crept closer, the wind howled wildly, thunder shook the ground, and lightning exploded as a storm bore down on Fort Charles. Our swords clashed, sending tiny sparks of fire around us. My friend and I attacked each other with everything we had. There was no hesitation from either side. To us, it was a fight to the death, but if others were watching, they would see a dance of elegance, beauty, and grace. Our movements might have been as beautiful as a red rose, but even roses have their illusions. Soon, rain drenched us, making our clothes stick to ourselves like glue. "Stop now! Snap out of it!" my friend gasped. I grinned. As he gets tired, I get stronger. How pathetic. I'll end this whelp soon," I thought to myself. Lightning hit my friend. I grinned. Why have powers if you don't use them to their full advantage? Out of no where, a scream of agony pierced my ears. I expected my opponent to be on his knees, begging for mercy, or crying from the pain, but there he stood, like a statue, tall and confident. Instead of one sword, he held two. One of them belonged to me. For a second I was puzzled until I felt a burning sensation in my torso. Looking down, I realized who the scream came from. My clothes were now stained in crimson red, and the ground was painted with the same deathly hue. My body was boiling like lava. The pain was to intense for me to endure. I felt to my knees, unable to stand any longer. "Please, stop this...," my friend pleaded. "You will pay. I'll kill you!" I yelled. My eyes rolled back into their sockets as I crumpled to the ground. Blackness consumed me, and I could no longer see. Apologies of Endless Meaning The tangy smell of fruit entered my nostrils, mixing with the saltiness of ocean air and mingling fish decay. I felt my body rocking from side to side ever so slightly. Creaking and groaning wood, shouting voices, thudding boots, and beating hearts echoed in my ears. As I took a shaky breath, I opened my eyes to find myself in a cabin. Fancy paintings, maps and charts scattered all over the mahogany desk along with sea navigation tools, silk blankets, colorfully patterned rugs, and chests were all in the cabin. It seemed like eternity until I noticed a familiar figure by my side, silently watching over me. "Wh- Where am I?" I stuttered, unable to form the words. The figure chuckled. "You should know. It's your ship and your cabin," the person beside me said softly. "Who..." "Don't waste your energy, Liz. You need to rest." "But..." His hand covered my mouth. His hand... A child's hand... I looked at his face, his blond bangs hiding his eyes. Perhaps I imagined it. He wasn't a child, but I couldn't be sure. My mind was still in a daze. "Rest," his soft voice said. With great reluctance and a little struggle, I did what he said. With a jolt, I woke up. Panic grasped my heart. What happened? I remembered saving my friend from hanging, but getting shot by the guards that surrounded me moments after the rescue, and.... nothing. How could that be? I blacked out? I've been having recent blackouts for no reason. The blackouts have also been lasting a few moments longer than the last. What was happening... KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! "Liz! You there?" said a voice. "Yes," I replied as I composed myself. A young man entered, his hair short, brown and messy. His attire recently washed, making it seem fit even for that of a nobleman to wear. "Who are you?" I questioned, remaining stern. "You don't remember? I'm your friend. You saved me from a hanging a few days ago," he slowly inquired. He sighed as he stared into my eyes with his own. His smooth chocolate irises shimmered with concern. He knew I was confused, he knew my mind was in turmoil, complete chaos. "Vampire," he whispered softly, "It's me, Will." That was when I broke down. Though no tears could escape my crushed soul, I sobbed quietly. I had no reason for my outburst, but it was normal. I always came apart after one of my blackouts, and I never knew the reason why, I just let it happen and flow out of me. His gentle and strong arms held me close, comforting me. "What's wrong?" I shook my head, unable to provide an answer. How could I when even I did not know the cause? Then, two words suddenly slipped from my mouth. "I'm sorry." His arms tensed briefly, and I sensed his alarm. However, it lasted only for a moment, too quick for a human to notice. "You did nothing wrong, Vampire," he whispered. "Nothing happened." Suddenly, another man burst through the cabin door, and I swiftly threw John to the side and composed myself. "Captain!" he said. "What," I said sternly. "We're under attack!" he stuttered. I stood gracefully and calm. "Man the cannons then! Get in yer battle stations! I will not let this ship be sunk nor taken!" With that, he ran off. A groan emitted from behind me. "Why did you throw me down... That bloody hurt..." Will said. "And let my crew see me weak?" I snarled. John shrugged. As I ran out the door, I turned and stared at John. "I am truly sorry," I murmured, knowing he would hear, then I ran out to join my crew. Chapter Three: Flashbacks from an Unknown Origin On the deck of the Wicked Enchantress, battles were already being fought, blood already soaked the burgundy colored wood, and corpses stared at the black sails with the glassy eyes. Men in uniform had bombarded my ship. The EITC I sneered in my brain. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the commander in chief start strutting in my direction like a proud peacock showing off his splendor. Suddenly, the scene changed. I looked around, seeing the marching grounds of a fort and guards everywhere. Though I saw them, I did not hate them. I knew them all and I was their friends. In front of me, I saw the commander briskly walking to me, and my initial reaction was to bow... A shout came from behind, startling me out of the vision. "Look out!" it cried. Instintively I pulled out my knife and blocked the attack. The EITC commander staggered back. What happened, I thought. Another swing from the man forced me back to reality. His attacks were vicious, determined, and well thought out, but I could see them all coming. Each swipe from his sword, and I countered with my dagger. However, something strange was happening. My sense were going into overload for a simple human. My mind felt hazy, and my eyesight dimmed. Another vision appeared, different from the previous. Dark, evil, sinister. Blood everywhere. Death filled the air. A burial ground with no real graves and only bodies piling on top of each other. A sinister laugh erupted from my blood stained lips. "Everything will be consumed by shadows, blood and death. I will be the Earth's destroyer." I said with a proud and determined tone. "AHHH!!" I screamed, once again brought back to the reality of the life I lived. Pain ricocheted in my arm, causing me to drop my dagger. The EITC commander had stabbed my arm. As he tried to stab me again, I grabbed the blade, broke it off the hilt, and sent it inside his heart. Confusion, and amazement spread over his face as he crumpled helplessly, and dying, to the wooden floorboards of the Cursed Enchantress. His crew scattered, some dead, some escaping for their dear lives. "Get this body off my ship," I ordered a nearby crewman. He nodded and set to work. My friend John, looked me straight in the eyes. "You okay?" he asked. I simply nodded. "You look startled" "It's nothing!" I snapped and stormed to my cabin, slamming the door shut behind me. What were those? Flashbacks? Visions? If so, from where, and why did they appear at that moment? Then, a question entered my mind that I had never thought before... Who am I? Chapter Four: A Hint of True Identity It had been a few days since the attack on the Cursed Echantress. Since then, I had been frantically searching for answers. I looked through all of my journals, but I ended up being empty-handed. The sun was finally beginning to set, casting a blanket of blackness over the Caribbean. Only the drunkards, sailors, pirates, wenches, and taverns were lively now, as the rest of people slept to drown out the sounds of senselessness, brawling, shouting, singing, and whatnot that echoed out of the shuttered windows of rundown taverns. The wind was gracious, barely uttering a noise. The sky was clear, showing off its enormous collection of twinkling diamonds and its single silver coin. I relit a dwindling fire. I didn't need it for light or warmth, but it was nice. The fire's crackles, beautiful music to my ears, sounded low and soft except for the occasional outburst. The sweet smell of the oak that burned was intoxicating, seemingly trying to grab me a pull me into an eternity of bliss and relaxation. It's soft gentle glow illuminated the room, showing the scattered journals, torm pages, and splattered ink staining the gorgeous red rose colored carpet. Looking around, a heavy sigh erupted from my mouth. "Will I ever find e answers," I muttered. A sound from an upstairs bedroom caught my attention abruptly. It came from a room I never entered. Come to think of it, this house did seem familiar, but I never knew why. I thought it was just a coincidence or something that I felt a connection. Curious, I stood, and made my way toward the location the sound had emerged from. The door was wide open, a strange sight since I made sure all the doors were closed and locked tightly. I entered. Nothing was disturbed, except for the window witch was ajar, making the curtains flutter ever so slightly. Though nothing was disturbed, something was added. An old treasure chest sat in the middle of the room. Even with its antique look, the paint was still.... fresh looking... And the gold trim wasn't faded. The only sign of it being old was the cracks in the wood itself and the rusted padlock. Who sent it? How did it even get in here? Without my realization, my feet moved involuntarily toward the chest. I got closer and closer, then fell on my knees in front of it. Shock overwhelmed for a reason I didn't know of. My hands shook as I reached out to touch this container made of wood and golden trim. With a simple and brief touch of the padlock, it glowed a soft yet eerie green hue, then turned to ashes. Fully alert now, I placed my hands on the lid, and opened it. My eyes now wide as I stared into the chest. Trinkets, weapons, family heirlooms. A small corner of a portait caught my eye. Rummaging around, I moved the possessions in the box and scattered them across the floor. Picking up the picture, I saw a family. Two parents, one in a Navy uniform, the other dressed as a tavern waitress. The child, however, was the main focus of my attention. A little girl with braided blond hair and light blue eyes twinkling like the sun hitting shallow waters of the sea. She wore a semi fancy dress, suggesting the family was rich, but didn't want to advertise it. This girl... looked like... me... Also, there was something in the background of the portrait. A figure with two cards in his hat. However the strangest part was the man looking straight at the little girl. Chapter Five: Into Near Oblivion Ever since that mysterious chest showed up, my mind has been spinning. Question upon question piled inside me, and no answers were available. How did I know the girl was me? Who was the figure in the background? Why was he looking at me? Who was I? When I first woke up to this life, I was on an uninhabited island with no memory of who I was or where I came from. I never questioned anything about my life, but suddenly, I've been starting to do just that. Also, I've noticed something stirring deep inside me. It was dark, evil, unstable. Whatever it was, it was growing stronger and it would be something I would not be able to control. The feeling was like after my blackouts. Speaking of which, I've been having brief blackouts more often. They were minor, but I kept myself locked in my house. Slowly starving myself of blood, which was fine since I didn't want to take a human life just to satisfy my bloodlust. I could survive on human food. Yet, even that would not help me forever. My friend, John, always knocked to see how I was. I ignored him. I couldn't explain it, but I felt like I would snap if I saw anybody. Really now? You believe that? said a voice in my head. I shook my head, clearing it. I was imagining things. My lust for blood was starting to get the beeter of me. You think you can get rid of me that easily? the voice chuckled evilly. Cold claws seemed to scratch at my heart and soul. My mind was becoming dark, cold, evil, and was filled with only death and despair. My vision grew fuzzy, and began to black out entirely. With building horror, the mark of Jolly Roger appeared on the palm of my right hand. It glowed a sinister green. Soon, my skin turned pale white like bone or the skin of a recently dead man. The teeth in my mouth began to sharpen, and my nails did the same. As I looked in the mirror, I saw my eyes change from dark blue to a sickly, dark, eerie, and evil green color, much like the fog of Roger's invasions, or the color of the clouds during the Muertos Moon. All emotion drained from my face, and an evil snarl escaped my trembling lips. This time it was different. I was aware of what was happening, but was in no position to stop, to gain back control. "See?" I said into the mirror. My voice had changed as well, I realized. It was ancient, detached, and cold like the steel of a sword's blade. "It's not so bad?" I chuckled. In my mind, I was trapped and chained. I watched through my eyes that were no longer really mine, as this... thing... took over. This evil version of me... I staggered, out the door, into the streets. My boots thudded quietly on the cobblestone streets of Port Royal. Fog eminated from the ground, not the natural fog after a rainy day or night, but rather the green fog that signed danger and came from mostly Jolly Roger's dasterdly doings. It was quiet, save for the lapping of waves on the now unnaturally white sandy beaches and storm grey walls. Footsteps from afar traveled to my ears. The guards, ''I thought evilly and smirked. ''Let's pay them a little visit, shall we... Like lightning, I ran. Yet it was like lightning, time prgressed slowly, and I used this elapsed time to think of the ways I could torture my prey, those pathetic humans. Also, as I ran, the fog grew thicker, aiding me in staying hidden. However, it was unnessecary. My speed was too quick for the mortal eye to percieve. Although, I wanted to watch my prey be tortured, I wanted to hear the screams of death. Only their wonderous sounds to quench my thirst now. With a shock, a voice cried out. "Whose there?!" At first, I thought I was spotted, but that was impossible. "You must leave now. You are in danger. Don't you see the fog? How unnatural it is? You must leave!" responded a familiar yet distant voice. "I won't leave. Now get lost before I shoot you." "I'm telling you, for your own safety, leave now while you can. She will be here in seconds," pleaded the second person. "It's about time you-" started the first voice, but was cut off quickly. In that instant, a bloodcurdling scream pierced the night. "No!" cried the second voice as blood splattered everywhere, painting the ground with its luxurious and deadly hue. I looked up from the guards mangled and destroyed body. My eyes met a young man's and I noticed him, but cared nothing for him. With a smirk, I addressed him. "Hello, John. Thought you'd warn the little pests? Sorry to ruin your fun, but I couldn't let you ruin my own entertainment." He stood there, slightly stunned, with blood staining his clothes. "How could you, Vampire..." he whispered, barely audible. I shook my head. "Vampire is gone. I have taken her place." "Then, who are you?" he questioned, the fear noticable in his stuttering. "Ah," I nodded, "that question, I'm afraid is for another time, and not for your ears to hear." With that, I lunged. We tumbled off the wall and down to the ground. ''CRACK! ''The ground broke as well as John's body. Jumping to my feet, I stood and gazed at the body. ''Pathetic, ''I thought as I walked off. Then, the impossible happened. A heartbeat. A groan. I looked back, stunned. John was getting up. He had a sword in his right and left hand. One of them belonged to me. However, my sword was of no concern to me at the current moment. "How are you alive! Your body broke on impact! I heard it!" I exclamed. He just grinned. I started to loathe it. I lunged once more. As if on instinct, he countered with both swords. I felt to my knees as he withdrew the now crimson steel blades from my body. I felt myself slowly gaining back control. I tried to speak, but words evaided me. I was too weak. The evil one stole most of my energy. "Vampire?" John's voice echoed with worry. I nodded weakly, before collapsing on the ground. Category:Tall Tales Category:Fan Stories